Container and blank therefor

ABSTRACT

A CONTAINER AND A BLANK FOR A CONTAINER. THE CONTAINER IS FLANGED AT THE TOPS OF THE SIDES AND ENDS THEREOF. THE FLANGE AT EACH END OF THE CONTAINER FORMED FROM EXTENSIONS OF THE END PANEL OF THE CONTAINER WHICH HAVE SAND-   WICHED THEREBETWEEN LOCKING FLANGE PANELS THAT FORM EXTENSIONS OF THE PANELS JOINING THE END TO THE SIDES OF THE CONTAINER.

P 20, 1971 F. L. PHILLIPS, JR 3,605,073

CONTAINER AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed Aug. 1, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. flow Z. E fin/Psi? BY 'HII HIM, "HI 'H'll M U M ATTORNEV Sept.20, 1971 F. L. PHILLIPS, JR

CONTAINER AND BLANK THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 1. 1968 UnitedStates Patent 3,606,078 CONTAINER AND BLANK THEREFOR Floyd L. Phillips,Jr., Winston-Salem, N.C., assignor to R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company,Winston-Salem,

Filed Aug. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 749,374 Int. Cl. B65d 7/42, /24

US. Cl. 220-62 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container and ablank for a container. The container is flanged at the tops of the sidesand ends thereof. The flange at each end of the container is formed fromextensions of the end panel of the container which have sandwichedtherebetween locking flange panels that form extensions of the panelsjoining the end to the sides of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a container and ablank for the container. The invention has particular application to aflanged container suitable for holding a product therein, typically tobe baked within the container.

In the past containers for holding a food product suitable for baking ofthe product therein have been fabricated from thin aluminum sheetingwhich is corrugated for strength. As a result, the sides and ends of thecontainer have not been suitable for the inclusion of printed matterthereon, and the location of printed matter has been limited to the topof the container, a flat sheet of material such as foil-linedpaperboard. The present invention provides a container for holding afood product, typically to be baked within the container, in which thecontainer is formed from a flat blank of sheet material. A corrugatedstructure is not employed, so that when the blank is set up in the formof a container, printed matter can be included on the sides and ends aswell as the top of the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An object of the present inventionaccordingly is to 1 provide a flanged container and a container blanktherefor utilizing flat blank material.

A further object is to provide a flanged container in which the flangestructure involves a locking of container panels to form the flange andto maintain the container in set-up condition.

A more complete understanding of the invention will be developed fromthe following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a containerblank in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG. 1 partially set up inthe formation of a container.

FIG. 3 is a plan view looking downwardly at the partially set-upcontainer of FIG. 2 showing the completion of further steps in theformation of a container.

3,606,078 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG.1, a container blank in accordance with the invention is suitably scoredso as to form a bottom receptacle panel A, two side receptacle panels Band C, and two end receptacle panels D and E. Side flange panel N formsan extension of side panel B, and similarly side flange panel W forms anextension of side panel C. Panels F and G are extensions of the endpanel D and constitute first and second end flange panels. R and S aresimilar end flange panels forming an extension of the end panel E.Panels H and I are joining panels that join together the end panel D andthe side panel C. Panels H and I may be considered an extension of sidepanel C. Similar joining panels K, L and P, Q and T, U are formed in theblank so as to join all the side panels to the end panels. Panels M, O,J, and V are looking flange panels forming extensions of joining panelsL, P, I, and U. Taking the locking flange panel J as an example, whichconstitutes an extension of joining panel I, a slit 20 is included inthe joining panel I substantially along the score line that separatesthe locking flange panel I from the joining panel I. The slit 20produces a tab 21 that is part of the locking flange panel I. Similarslits 22, 24, and 26 are included in the joining panels L, P, and U toproduce corresponding tabs 23, 25, and 27 that are parts of the lockingflange panels M, O, and V. The end receptacle panels D and E also areslit substantially along the score lines separating these end panelsfrom the extensions thereof, as at 28 and 30 (in the end panel D) and at32 and 34 (in the end panel E). Additionally, the flange panels F and Ginclude tab members for locking purposes, i.e., tab members 36 and 38that are part of the flange panel F and tab members '40 and 42 that arepart of the flange panel S.

Referring to FIG. 2, a container is formed from the blank of FIG. 1 byraising the side panels B and C and the end panels D and E. Next thejoining panels are bellows-folded about the score line therein in theforming of the ends of the container. For example, the joining panels Hand I are bellows-folded about the score line therebetween, and thesandwich structure produced thereby is folded against the end panel D,as shown in FIG. 3. This is done for all of the joining panels K, L, andP, Q and T, U at the ends of the container, as shown in FIG. 3. At thesame time the side flange panels N and W constituting extensions of theside panels B and C are folded about the score lines separating thesepanels from the side panels so that flanges N and W substantially per'pendicular to the sides of the container are formed, as shown in FIGS. 3and 4.

FIGS. 4 to 7 show the sequence of folding to complete the end of thecontainer. The sectional view of FIG. 5 shows the panels at one end ofthe container prior to folding. As a first step, the flange panels F andG constituting an extension of the end panel D are folded outwardly anddownwardly to a horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 6. During thedownward folding of these two flange panels (about the score lineseparating these panels from the end panel D) the locking flange panelsI and 3 M are bent downwardly (to horizontal positions) about the scoreline separating these panels from the associated joining panels I and L.The tabs 21 and 23 forming parts of the locking flange panels I and Mextend through the slits 28 and '30 in the end panel D (see FIG. 6 inconnection with tab 21). Next the flange panel F is bent 180 about thescore line joining that flange panel with the flange panel G, as shownin FIG. 7. During this bending of the flange panel F, the looking flangepanel I is sandwiched between the two flange panels F and G. Inaddition, the two tabs 36 and 38 forming a part of the flange panel Fextend through the slits 20 and 22 in the joining panels I and L. InFIG. 7 tab 36 is shown extending through the slit 20. In addition, thetabs 36 and 38 also extend through the corresponding slits 28 and 30 inthe end panel D. In FIG. 7 the tab 36 is shown extending through theslit 28.

It will thus be noted that at the ends of the container the flangepanels (for example, F and G) form a sandwich with the locking flangepanels (for example, I and M) therebetween. The sandwich provides aflange at the end of the container to be used for sealing a cover of thecontainer. Additionally, since the locking flange panels I and M arelocked in position, the end of the container cannot be easily opened. Tothis extent the tab members (for example, 21, 23, 36, and 38) constitutea locking or maintaining means that maintains in place the sandwichstructure of the end flange and maintains the joining panels I, H and L,K in their sandwich configurations againts the end panel D of thecontainer.

FIG. 8 shows a completed container ready to receive a product and to beclosed by a cover 44. The product is placed in the container and thecover applied thereto, as shown in FIG. 9. i

As explained above, one of the principal advantages of the invention isthat it provides a container which may be formed from a flat blank ofstock. The blank stock may be any suitable material such as paperboard,plastic, metal or any combination of these materials, in any convenientthickness. Typically for baking purposes the blank material would bepaperboard coated with metal foil. The lid or cover 44 may be attachedby any means, such as through the use of an adhesive, a blend of plasticcoatings, a shrink film constituting an overwrap of the entirecontainer, and snap-n or slide-on paperboard configurations, to name afew examples. In any event, the sides and ends of the container are freefrom corrugations and may be used to contain printed matter thereon. Thecontainer of FIG. 9 therefore is not limited to the positioning ofprinted matter solely on the top of the con tainer, as in corrugateddesigns in the past. It will also be noted that by virtue of thebellows-folds at the corners of the package a completely waterproofstructure is provided, and the container is capable of holding bothsolids and liquids.

The closed container of FIG. 9 includes the flanged surfaces N, R, W,and G around the top edges of the sides and ends of the containeressentially for sealing of the container. Typically the cover 44 isadhesively secured to the flanged surfaces, and no overwrap is needed.However, an overwrap, such as a film of heat shrinkable material, may beemployed if desired. It will be noted that the corners of the flangedsurface abut at mitred joints. The corners need not be mitred, and anycorner joint will suflice. What is desired, however, is a virtuallycontinuous flange about the entire top edge of the container to providean effective seal.

1 claim:

1. A flanged container construction comprising a first receptacle panel,first and second flange panels constituting an extension of the firstreceptacle panel, a joining panel adjacent the first receptacle panel, alocking flange panel constituting an extension of said joining panel,said locking flange panel being sandwiched between said first and secondflange panels, and means maintaining said first and second flange panelsagainst said locking flange panel when the sandwich of said first andsecond flange panels and looking flange panel is oriented substantiallyperpendicular to said first receptacle panel in order to form a flangefor the container and to maintain the joining panel adjacent the firstreceptacle panel, and wherein said maintaniing means comprises a tabmember forming a part of one of the first and second flange panels whichpasses through a slit in said joining panel, and wherein said tab memberextends also through a slit in the first receptacle panel.

2. A flanged container construction as defined in claim -1, wherein theslit in the joining panel produces a tab that is a part of said lockingflange panel and which extends through the slit in the first receptaclepanel to form a part of said maintaining means.

3. A flanged container construction comprising a first receptacle panel,first and second flange panels constituting an extension of the firstreceptacle panel, a joining panel adjacent the first receptacle panel, alocking flange panel constituting an extension of said joining panel,said locking'flange panel being sandwiched between said first and secondflange panels, and means maintaining said first and second flange panelsagainst said locking flange panel when the sandwich of said first andsecond flange panels and locking flange panel is oriented substantiallyperpendicular to said first receptacle panel in order to form a flangefor the container and to maintain the joining panel adjacent the firstreceptacle panel, wherein said first flange panel adjoins said firstreceptacle panel along a first score line, and said second flange paneladjoins said first flange panel along a second score line, and whereinsaid maintaining means comprises a tab member forming a part of thesecond flange panel which passes through a slit in said joining panelsubstantially along a score line separating said locking flange panelfrom said joining panel, and wherein said tab member extends alsothrough a slit in the first receptacle panel substantially along saidfirst score line.

4. A flanged container construction as defined in claim 3, wherein theslit in the joining panel produces a tab that is apart of said lockingflange panel and which extends through the slit in the first receptaclepanel to form a part of said maintaining means.

5. A container comprising two end panels and two side panels, each endpanel being joined to each side panel by two joining panels that arebellows-folded so that one of the joining panels is sandwiched betweenthe other joining panel and the end panel, first and second flangepanels constituting an extension of each end panel and which are foldedto sandwich therebetween a locking flange panel that constitutes anextension of one of each of said two joining panels, and meansmaintaining the first and second flange panels against the lockingflange panels sandwiched therebetween when the sandwich of these panelsis oriented substantially perpendicular to the end panel in order toform a flange for the container end and to maintain the joining panelsin position against the end panel, wherein said maintaining meanscomprises tab members forming parts of one of the first and secondflange panels which pass through slits in the joining panels, andwherein the tab members also extend through slits in the end panel.

6. A container as defined in claim 5, wherein the slits in the end panelto form a part of said maintaining said locking flange panels and whichextend through the slits in the end panel to form a part of saidmaintaining means.

7. A blank for a container comprising a side panel and an end panel, theend panel including two flange panels constituting an extension thereofadapted to form a flange at the end of the container produced from theblank, a joining panel structure joining together the side and endpanels, the joining panel structure including a locking flange paneladapted to be sandwiched between the two flange panels in the containerformed from the blank, one of the two flange panels including tab meansadapted to maintain the locking flange panel in said sandwich when thecontainer is formed so as to lock the flange in position and to maintainthe container in set-up condition, wherein said tab means comprises atab and the joining panel structure is slit to receive said ta'b whenthe container is formed, and wherein the end panel is also slit toreceive said tab when the container is formed.

8. A blank for a container as defined in claim 7, wherein the slit inthe joining panel structure produces another tab that is part of saidlocking flange and is adapted to extend through the slit in thereceptacle panel when the container is formed.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,541,416 6/1925 Ingvoldstad220-62 2,233,874 3/1941 Rosenthal 220*31 2,367,410 1/ 1945 Lighter220-31 3,316,102 4/1967 Doll 229-3 11X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,119,654 6/1956France 220-62 GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 229-31

